Michigan basketball update: Team flight at 7:30 a.m., game still at noon after plane accident

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Despite troubles with the team plane that prevented Michigan basketball from leaving Ann Arbor, the Wolverines are still scheduled to tip off against Illinois at noon Thursday.

The University of Michigan men's basketball team was trying to fly to Washington, D.C., Wednesday ahead of its second-round Big Ten Tournament game when the team plane slid off the runway at Willow Run airport.

The team is "a little banged up and shook up" according to head coach John Beilein, but there were no serious injuries.

Michigan basketball tweeted that the team and everyone in the travel party is safe after the crash.

When the plane tried to leave, high winds forced the takeoff to be aborted. After strong braking, the plane slid off the runway, the university said.

The plane was extensively damaged, but everyone on board exited the plane safely, the university announced.

Michigan's basketball team, school band members and cheerleaders were on the plane, officials said.

According to a tweet from the official Michigan basketball Twitter account, the team plans to meet at 6 a.m. Thursday and depart for Detroit Metro Airport. The team's flight is scheduled to take off at 7:30 a.m. and land at 8:45 a.m. in D.C.

"As of right now, we will be able to arrive tomorrow morning in D.C. and play the game at noon as scheduled," another tweet said.

The eighth-seeded Wolverines are scheduled to play the ninth-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini. The two teams split their regular-season meetings, which each winning at home.

While Michigan is considered to be safely in the NCAA Tournament field, Illinois might need to knock off the Wolverines in order to keep their hopes alive.

Stay with ClickOnDetroit.com for updates.